Avian flu alert in Cooch Behar

 

COOCH BEHAR, March 10: Following fresh outbreak of avian influenza in some areas in the state precautionary measures are being taken in Cooch Behar district. All the twelve blocks of the district were alerted to report any incident of unnatural death of chickens and other backyard birds. It may be recalled that three blocks bordering with Bangladesh had to suffer from massive outbreak of bird flu and after culling drive the blocks were declared cleaned.

 

As a precautionary measure the vehicles coming from Bangladesh through the International Check Post at Changrabandha in Mekhliganj sub-division are being sprayed to disinfect those. As it was believed that the source of avian influenza virus (H5N1) is on the other side of the border the district administration is in no mood to take any chance. A senior official said H5N1 virus might come any time from Bangladesh like the virus of conjunctivitis popularly known as Joy Bangla. It is better to get ready to meet the situation because there is no mechanism to stop spreading of the virus from over the porous border, he opined.

 

On the otherhand, the deputy director of animal resources development department, Dr Tapan Kumar Roy said people should not be panicked because no fresh incident of death of any chicken or duck was reported so far from any block. He claimed that ARD personnel are conducting surveillance in all block areas in the district. Soon after hearing of the cases of Murshidabad instructions were issued to report immediately any incident of death of birds. Dr Roy said the instruction issued to keep the Indo-Bangladesh border sealed is still valid. []